Wondering what’s the ideal CV lenght?
By Craig from Jobulo
CV writing is a little bit of a dark art- there is a fine balance between a great CV and one that gets ignored. CV length is a big factor in that mix. Our studies have shown that most employers spend just 30 seconds considering a CV before deciding to reject or set aside for further review. This means that getting an employer’s attention quickly is crucial. You also need to ensure that your CV is compact, containing the most pertinent information portraying you as the ideal candidate for this specific job position. A CV that is over two pages long instantly puts an employer off as they immediately perceive the document to have too much waffle and take too long to analyse.
With such influence on the success of your CV it’s worth putting some time into editing your document so that it’s the right length. Many people often find their CVs too long and have trouble condensing it so that only the most relevant information is on display. So, with this in mind, here’s our top tips on how to shorten your CV.
#1 Assess Your Content
Constantly assess the information you’re including on your CV as you write it. Is the information relevant to the role you’re applying for? Does the information answer any questions the employer may have in mind? Does what you’re writing match up to the job position description? If the answer to a lot of these questions is ‘no’ you should consider revising or excluding it.
Tip: Ensure you include relevant and valuable information but you don’t need to elaborate too much within your CV. The interview stage is where you can discuss the points on your CV further.
#2 Avoid Repetition
This one seems a fairly obvious point however it’s actually quite easy to repeat yourself as you complete each section of a CV. You may find that you mention an achievement in the work history section and again in a separate list of achievements. You may also mention that you have a certain skill or qualification more than once. To prevent this ensure you check your copy and remove any duplicated points.
Tip: Copy checking and editing your CV after you’ve written it is vitally important as it’s very easy to make small spelling and grammar errors on your first draft.
#3 Change Your Font Size
Are you creating your CV with a large font size? Is that font size really required for your job application? Most corporate documents range from 8pt size font up to 11pt where 11pt would certainly be considered as large as you need to go. So take a look at your CV content and try re-formatting it in a different size as it’s a clever way to save space without sacrificing content.
Tip: If you’re CV is written in 12pt font size or larger you should definitely consider reducing its size as most corporate documents are 11pt or smaller.
1 Page CV Example
#4 Put Your Best Content Toward the Top
When thinking about the order of the sections on your CV you should try to include the most relevant and important information at the top– that way you can always consider cutting the content that appears in the latter sections of the document. The most important information will differ according to the job role you are applying for however, generally, the most important sections include; Personal Statement/Profile, Work History and Education & Qualifications.
Tip: When ordering the sections of your CV remember to think about what the employer is looking for and have in mind what is important to them.
#5 Change Your CV Design
The CV designs we have at Jobulo can be your friend here. As well as having designs that can elongate your CV (if you’re struggling to add length) we also have designs that are very space efficient. So if you think your CV is too short why not look into different layouts or designs that can be more efficient with the space available on a page.
Tip: Balance your CV design with the job role. If you’re applying for a corporate job your CV should be fairly professional in style. If you’re industry is more creative you should look to reflect this in your CV design.
—
You may also want to check out the 5 reasons why hobbies are important on a CV.
